Julian POVCecilia fainted on stage.Some said that breaking a mate bond felt like being cut by a dull knife, while others said it was like being pierced by thousands of arrows. There were also those who said it would feel like being burned by fire. I couldn't tell what Cecilia was experiencing at that moment.Vahn, too, didn't appear to be faring much better. His Beta and girlfriend helped him leave the scene.I carried Cecilia back to her room and had her maid, Pearly, assist in changing her into a nightgown before laying her down on the bed. Even unconscious, Cecilia's brows remained furrowed.Pearly called a doctor to inquire about ways to ease Cecilia's pain. Henry's response was that this was the Moon Goddess' punishment for those who defied fate. The mate bond was destined, and breaking it required enduring 24 hours of pain, with no way to alleviate it but to endure.Upon hearing this, Pearly began to cry, sitting beside Cecilia's bed and lamenting, "The Moon Goddess is be
Cecilia POVIt felt as though I had been in a long dream.In my dream, I was back at the Lotus Pack. My eldest brother, Mark, was showing me how to shoot."Lift your arm higher. You're supposed to hit the target, not the bugs on the ground," Mark chided, his tone as sharp as ever.Meanwhile, James and Jericho were wrestling, their bodies and faces covered in mud as they yelled at each other. I always thought teenage boys were like roosters just learning to crow—loud and messy.Pearly, dressed in a pink dress, approached with a picnic basket. James and Jericho rushed toward her but soon began fighting over a piece of cherry cake from the basket."Why don't you four have a race?" Pearly suggested, pointing to the top of the mountain. "Whoever picks a cherry from the tree at the top of the mountain first gets to eat the cherry cake.""One, two, three…"Before Pearly could finish saying "Go," I was already sprinting ahead. I reached the cherry tree first, jumped up to pick a cherry
Julian POVCecilia had woken up, but I still didn't feel the mate bond between us. My wolf, Zevin, was particularly frustrated. He had seen Cecilia's wolf, Nana, and really liked her.'Nana is stronger than I imagined. I thought she'd be as petite as Cecilia,' Zevin remarked in my mind.Zevin was a black wolf, the same color as Hogan's wolf. The black fur allowed us to blend in perfectly at night, making us more effective in combat. Despite this, Zevin took great pride in his strength and believed he didn't need camouflage. Apart from Hogan, Zevin hadn't met a werewolf who could defeat him.I felt a heavy weight in my heart and said to Zevin, "Didn't Dr. Pearce say that one must endure 24 hours of punishment from the Moon Goddess after breaking a mate bond? Maybe the Moon Goddess will arrange a new fate for Cecilia after 24 hours."Zevin nodded, but the words felt more like a comfort to me.After leaving Cecilia's room, I headed to a bar in the Thorn Pack, where Pearly had told
Cecilia POVWhen I woke the next morning, the pain in my body had lessened, though my wolf and I were still quite weak. Pearly had already packed our belongings, and I was eager to leave this dreadful place."Pearly, book an afternoon flight. Let's go home," I said."Okay!" Pearly exclaimed, hopping onto my bed and pulling out her phone to search for flights.Just as we were about to leave, Mindy entered my room. The moment she entered, she burst into tears, catching both Pearly and me off guard."What's wrong? Don't cry. Talk to us," Pearly said, moving to Mindy and placing a comforting arm around her shoulder. But the more Pearly tried to soothe her, the harder Mindy cried."You have to help me," Mindy sobbed."Calm down. Tell us what's happening," I said, gently patting her back."Rosie told me to get Dr. Pearce to bring her some medicine. But no matter how many times I called, he hung up on me. Rosie threatened to kick me out of the pack if I didn't get Dr. Pearce to her.
Vahn POVStanding at the door of Cecilia's bedroom, I found nothing but the bare bed. Even the wicker chair and small table from the balcony had been removed overnight. I remembered how Cecilia used to sit on the balcony with her tea, saying that she loved watching the sunset over the Thorn Pack."Such a sunset makes me feel healthy and optimistic," she used to say before she became Luna.Now, she was really gone—she had even erased all traces of herself from this place.I loved Freeda, but I never denied the mate bond I shared with Cecilia. 'Is Cecilia's heart made of stone?'I pounded on the door, cracking the panel.'Isn't this what you wanted?' Kai, my wolf, taunted."Shut up!"After enduring this torment for 24 hours, Kai and I were drained. When I finally returned to my room to collapse into bed, Freeda came over."How are you feeling?""I'm okay.""You've moved on. Congratulations!"I forced a smile, hiding my resentment."I came to discuss our wedding. I've picked
Cecilia POVIt took us an hour to reach the airport, followed by a two-hour flight. Finally, we arrived in Monia, the nearest city to the Lotus Pack.Since the Lotus Pack was situated in a valley, we had another three-hour drive to reach Lotus Mountain."It's already 9.00PM. Why don't we spend the night in Monia and head up tomorrow?" I suggested.As much as I wanted to get home, the mountain roads weren't safe at night. I didn't want to trouble Julian any further. He had already driven Pearly and me all day, essentially acting as our unpaid bodyguard—a task far beneath his status."Now that we're on your turf, we'll follow your lead," Julian said with a smile."Pearly, book us the priciest hotel in town," I instructed, channeling my inner girl-boss attitude.After dropping off our luggage at the hotel, I took Julian and Pearly out to try some local Monian cuisine. I hadn't been very hungry on the flight, but now that we were back, I felt rejuvenated. My appetite seemed to have
Julian POVFor the first 10 seconds of the race, I stayed in my lane and kept a deliberate distance from Ashton.When he neared the bend and began to slow down to make a right turn, I seized the opportunity. I slammed on the gas and rammed into his car.Without seats or doors, the impact sent Ashton flying out of the vehicle and tumbling down the mountain. Meanwhile, my red car, aided by the resistance from Ashton's car, managed to veer right and crash into the rocks but successfully made the turn. Before I lost control, I jumped out of the car.The whole maneuver took only 20 seconds."You're really lucky!" Wesley wasn't upset about losing the race. Rather, he patted me on the shoulder in excitement."It's not just luck. It's about calculations. Timing and speed are everything," I replied."So, you planned to use Ashton as your brakes and steering wheel from the start? Man, I didn't expect such intelligence from a werewolf. I thought you guys were just impulsive."He draped an
Cecilia POVI felt like I was consciously drowning, immediately regretting my decision not to knock back additional shots. If I had been drunk, the voices telling me I couldn't do this would have faded away. But perhaps it was precisely those doubts that fueled my rebellious urge.There was no harm in breaking some of the rules.As werewolves, we were acutely aware of each other's desires. Hence, I surrendered completely to the passion of the moment.His hands roamed up and down my spine. The way he kneaded his thumb into my breasts had me feeling needy.His kisses traced a fiery path across my collarbone and traveled over my entire body. When his stubble brushed against the inner part of my thigh,the warmth was intense as it radiated from me, but the burning between my legs made me press my thighs together. The movement forced me to let out a small moan. I needed him. The only thing I wanted was having him between my legs, whether it was his hand, face, or cock.His hand s
Cecilia POV"She's no longer a prostitute, so she has moved out of the military brothel."Thus, I told Zara what happened that day."It's good that you want to help others. But Amy, she definitely is no angel!""I'm just helping her find a new job and giving her a chance." I calmed Zara down. "Just move to the room next to mine if you don't want to see her.""No way! I'm not interested in third-wheeling you and Julian!" Zara curled her lip.Zara also heard Amy and Ellie insult me at the bar a few nights ago. For that reason, she had been regarding Amy with disfavor. I could fathom Zara's hostility toward Amy. Still, since she had been helping the refugees these past few days and hadn't witnessed Ellie's tragic death, she didn't understand my desire to help Amy.If truth be told, I wasn't that noble. I simply wanted to do something within my power to make myself feel at ease.The days that followed were busy yet peaceful. Most importantly, I saw hope resurfacing on the faces o
Cecilia POV"Oh, thank you." Julian casually slid the cufflink into his pocket.I swiftly pulled a long face. In my mind, I pondered how Julian's cufflink ended up in Rhea's possession. Although a cufflink wasn't a particularly personal item, she couldn't get it without physical intimacy. In fact, I could smell her scent on the cufflink through the pocket."Have you and Rhea known each other for a long time?" I mind-linked Julian after walking out of the military prostitutes' barracks."Yeah, but don't get me wrong. Nothing is going on between me and her," Julian quickly explained."Like I care!" I quickened my place huffily and left him behind. Based on their conversation earlier, it sure sounded like something did happen between him and Rhea."Mario, take the three of them to a new barrack." Julian sent the others away. Then, he caught up to me and grabbed my arm. "Cecilia, are you angry?""No, I'm not." I pretended to respond calmly. In reality, a surge of rage came over me.
Cecilia POVEllie's body was quickly sent for cremation after Alex was executed.I saw Layla and Ellie get tortured in my dream for two nights in a row. They were staring at me with wide eyes. It was as if they were begging for a helping hand that I couldn't give. In the end, the scene in my dream changed, and I became the one getting chained and whipped.I woke up with a start, and my body was drenched in sweat. For a moment, the torture I felt in my nightmare seemed to be real.Nonetheless, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this nightmare wasn't just my brain playing tricks on me. Instead, it served as a warning and a reminder."Julian, how many military prostitutes are there in the camp?" I rushed to Julian's office after getting up."I'm not sure. Why do you suddenly ask about this?" Julian put down the document in his hand, walked to me, kissed my forehead, and calmed my emotions."18," replied Mario, who stood on the side. "Oh, wait. It's 17 now.""I think we should a
Julian POVAmy was so frightened that she hid behind me and held my arm tightly, refusing to let go. For her safety, I decided not to push her away.Then, I gave Vahn a look, signaling him to cuff Alex.Cecilia stood beside me. She had a cold expression on her face as she looked down at Alex with her arms crossed.As for Alex, he showed no sign of fear. His fierce and flickering eyes shifted back and forth between us. It was as if he was already aware of his fate, considering he didn't even try to defend himself."Did you kill Ellie?""So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?""You think you can just walk off after taking someone's life?" I growled."She's just a prostitute!" he retorted and spat on the ground."Alex, you truly are beyond redemption. There was no point in me thinking so highly of you before!" Even Vahn couldn't help but chastise Alex."For your information, you seem never good at judging one's character." Cecilia rolled her eyes at Vahn before ask
Julian POV"Alex? Is he Freeda's subordinate?" I frowned. "He hasn't returned since last night?""That's right." Mario nodded. "We haven't been able to reach him. Do you want me to bring Freeda over for questioning?""Her again? How much trouble will she and her subordinates cause?" I slammed the table in anger. "Who are the other two? Investigate them as well.""One is under Alpha Cecilia's command, and the other is Alpha Ethan's subordinate," Mario explained while glancing at me and Ethan."Let me see which brat it is! I'll teach him a lesson!" Ethan rolled up his sleeves and was furious. Then, he assured me, "Don't worry, Prince Julian. I won't show any favoritism. If it turns out that one of my men is guilty, it's because I failed to discipline him. I'll take responsibility and accept the punishment."On the other hand, Cecilia didn't seem concerned about the other two. Instead, she walked over to Amy, who was sitting in the corner, and asked, "Amy, do you know Alex?""Yes
Julian POV"Doctor, can you estimate the time of death?" I asked."Judging by the body temperature and its condition, she must be dead for about 5 to 6 hours. Since it's now 9.30am., she likely died between 3am and 4am." Then, the doctor pressed on the body and showed us the livor mortis."See? The marks disappear quickly, which means the body is still fresh.""If that's the case, Cecilia definitely has nothing to do with it. I finished work with Mario around 1 A.M. last night and returned to rest." I cleared my throat and looked at Cecilia. "I was with her last night. She couldn't be involved in this."Cecilia looked at me in shock. Then, she mind-linked me and said, "Why did you lie? We weren't together last night. This has nothing to do with me. Yet, you're making it look like you're covering for a suspect. If this lie is exposed, it'll only make me look more suspicious."Before I could respond, Amy quietly questioned, "But she could've snuck out while you were asleep...""We
Julian POVAs Amy took me to the location of the body, I mind-linked Mario to tell him to bring the camp's doctor along.The body was in an abandoned warehouse next to the camp. It was less than 30 meters from the camp gate. When I arrived at the scene, I realized it was far more horrifying than I had imagined."She was injected with a large amount of wolfsbane and hallucinogens. The fatal injury might have been the tearing of her lower body, internal organ damage, and excessive bleeding," the doctor said with a sigh. Then, he continued, "This is just pure sadistic murder. However, there's no sign of semen in her body, nor any fingerprints on her. The killer is a professional one."Shortly after, a scout was assigned to investigate the case. Alas, he also found no clues after examining the body for a while."What were you and Ellie doing last night? Who did Ellie meet before she was killed?" I asked Amy."Ellie and I went to the bar together. I returned to the camp early becaus
Julian POVIn just three short days, Cecilia managed to gather a total of 300 million, and the amount kept growing."She's really helped us out once again. If she hadn't organized the fundraiser, we'd be facing some serious financial difficulties." Hogan's voice sounded cheerful over the phone."Yes, she's an impressive Alpha. Brave, intelligent, and responsible—""Enough about that. When are you coming back to Black Stone? Your mother misses you dearly." Hogan cut me off before I could finish listing Cecilia's strengths."I need to stay here to coordinate the rebuilding efforts in Ashfall. I can't leave just yet.""I'll send the experts myself if that's all it takes. There's no reason for you to—" Hogan's tone turned stern. "I know you're staying for her. She's doing well, but don't think that means she'll become the Luna of Valdora. I'm giving you one month to wrap things up and return!""All right."After ending the call, I let out a breath of relief. It wouldn't be easy to
Cecilia POVI stared at him, a hint of disbelief flashing in my eyes. "You mean to say you can't help at all? If it weren't for Freeda, your dear wife, these people wouldn't even be refugees in the first place! Don't you think you owe them some compensation?"Freeda interrupted sharply, "This isn't about refugees. This is about you playing the hero and trying to make yourself look good. Just because you have money and influence now doesn't mean others can throw money around recklessly."I blinked, taken aback by the malice in her tone. "This isn't about showing off. It's about saving lives, about helping people who have lost everything in the war. This isn't some competition."She stood, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing as she faced me. "Oh, isn't it? You're here, putting on this grand fundraiser, expecting everyone to line up and donate. It's nothing more than emotional blackmail."My heart pounded, and a surge of anger rose within me. "It's not blackmail. No one is being fo